rocking stonen.

1638 H. Adamson Muses Threnodie vii. 79 We were just at the Rocking Stone... A stone so neicely set upon its kernels, Not artificiall, but naturall chernels, So huge, so grave, that if you please to prove it, A hundred yoak of oxen will not move it, Yet touch it with your fingers smallest knocking, Incontinent it will fall to a rocking.

1679 T. Kirke Mod. Acct. Scotl. 17 In another place is a Rocking-stone of a reasonable bigness, that if a Man push it with his finger, it will move very lightly, but if he address his whole Force, it availeth nothing.

1740 W. Stukeley Stonehenge xi. 49 I have seen one of these rocking stones, as call'd commonly, in Derbyshire.

1799 J. Robertson Gen. View Agric. Perth 573 The rocking stone of Dron is 10 feet long and 7 broad, standing in an inclined position.

1855 J. R. Leifchild Cornwall: Mines & Miners 2 Picturesque coast views,..rocking-stones and stones innumerable.

1871 L. Stephen Playground of Europe ii. 95 A mass of huge loose rocks, which I can only compare to a continuous series of..rocking-stones.

1913 J. G. Frazer Belief in Immortality I. ix. 213 Near the tree is a rocking stone, which the ghosts set in motion, and the sound that they make in so doing is like the muffled roll of a drum.

1949 A. E. Trueman Geol. & Scenery Eng. & Wales xii. 159 In many places large masses have been quite detached from their bases to form ‘rocking stones’.

1998 J. Cope Mod. Antiquarian 177/1 This beautiful rocking stone is large enough to sit in and was placed at the very top of this heavenly scene by some magician of the very first race.